Labor Day

Celebrate Labor Day with these books that have work-related themes:

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work
by Matthew B. Crawford
This debut brings alive an experience that was once quite common but now seems to be receding from society — the experience of making and fixing things with our hands. For those who felt hustled off to college, then to the cubicle, against their own inclinations and natural bents, Shop Class as Soulcraft seeks to restore the honor of the manual trades as a life worth choosing.

The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work
by Alain de Botton
This exploration of the joys and perils of the modern workplace beautifully evokes what other people wake up to do each day — and night — to make the frenzied contemporary world function. With a philosophical eye and his signature combination of wit and wisdom, Alain de Botton leads us on a journey around a deliberately eclectic range of occupations, from rocket science to biscuit manufacture, accountancy to art — in search of what makes jobs either fulfilling or soul-destroying.

A Life at Work: The Joy of Discovering What You Were Born to Do
By Thomas Moore
The author of Care of the Soul reveals the quest to find a life’s work in all its depth and mystery. All jobs, large and small, long-term and temporary, he writes, contribute to your life’s work. A particular job may be important because of the emotional rewards it offers or for the money. But beneath the surface, your labors are shaping your destiny for better or worse. If you ignore the deeper issues, you may not know the nature of your calling, and if you don’t do work that connects with your deep soul, you may always be dissatisfied, not only in your choice of work but in all other areas of life. Moore explores the often difficult process—the obstacles, blocks, and hardships of our own making—that we go through on our way to discovering our purpose, and reveals the joy that is our reward. He teaches us patience, models the necessary powers of reflection, and gives us the courage to keep going.

It’s Called Work for a Reason!: Your Success is Your Own Damn Fault
By Larry Winget
"With a writing style best described as full-throttle rant, the host of the A&E reality show Big Spender reveals the naked truth about careers... Winget sets a high threshold for delivering a likeable, useful book that will educate and promote behavioral changes. Yet he delivers. His brutal frankness about what's wrong with how businesses--big and small--operate offers a refreshing contrast to other career counseling and management books... Winget's advice is solid: delivering results is the most fulfilling career move one can make."
—Publisher's Weekly

- Lisa S.